Sarasota Kennel Club Gets Poker

In a unanimous decision in front of more than forty poker supporters, Sarasota County (Florida) commissioners approved a resolution to allow the Sarasota Kennel Club to open a poker room. Mayor Freddie Atkins voted against the item.

This topic was brought up at the beginning of 2004, but the commissioners voted it down because they thought it would lead to a large influx of gambling into the county, including casinos and gambling boats (funny how they don’t mind dog tracks). Now, however, they see that with restrictions on the betting stakes, so that the gambling doesn’t get out of hand, poker can work at the club.

Other tracks in the state have poker rooms and the Sarasota Kennel Club was afraid that it was losing business to them. The track’s attorney, Greg Colburn, said poker would help increase the track’s revenue, but will not increase other gambling at the facility.

In what might be a sign of hope for other states, commissioner Shannon Staub said that when the issue was brought up two years ago, most of them did not really understand what poker rooms were all about. She said she actually visited a poker room at a casino recently and was impressed by the operation.

Originally published May 2, 2006